Valve rotating device



Spt. 9, 1952 R, T, DOUGHTY 2,609,804

VALVES ROTATINQ DEVICE I Filed Dec. 31, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Patented Sept. y 9, 1952 VALVE ROTATING DEVICE Robert T. Doughty, Detroit, Mich., assigner to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Application December 31, 1949, Serial No. 136,287

rlhis invention relates to internal combustion engines and particularlyto poppet valve rotating devices therefor.

It has been appreciated for some time in the art that rotation of the valves during engine operation tends to prevent excessive and uneven carbon deposits thereon with resultant valve sticking and pitting. While many devices for effecting such rotation have been previously proposed they have 1not won general acceptance principally because their constructions lacked simplicity of design and involved numerous parts with resultant excessive cost of manufacture and uncertainty of troublefree operation. In the alternative, various expe dients such as improvements in materials and cooling for the valves and valve seats have been employed to avoid or at least diminish the pitting and sticking problem. However, with the ever increasing power demands being made of internal combustion engines the need for valve rotation continually being re-emphasized, andit is the principal objectof my invention to satisfy this need with a .device for the purpose which is peculiarly adapted for both low-cost manufacture and dependable performance.

This and other `objects which will be apparent from a reading of the following description are accomplished by providing a generally annular ring member about the valve stem having a helical interengagement with the stem and an axially cngageable clutch surface arranged to coact with a similar clutch surface on the valve guide or other stationary portion of the engine, said annular member having a limited longitudinal movement relative to the guide to permit engagement and disengagement of the clutch surface.

In the drawing:

Figure l is an elevational View of one form of my invention shown in its relation to the valve operating linkage of an internal combustion engine, a portion only of the engine being shown.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View similar to Figure 1 with parts additionally broken away and in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure i is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 but of a modified valve rotating device incorporating the principles of my invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View similar to Figure l but of a further modiiied valve rotating device embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure l is a view identical to Figure 6 but show- 11 Claims. (C1. 12S-90) ing the parts in the positions they assume during a diiferent stage of their operating cycle.

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the device of Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure l but of a still further modified valve rotating device embodying certain principles of my invention.

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line Iii-I0 of Figure 9.

Referring to Figures l, 2 and 3; there is shown a portion of a conventional overhead valve type internal combustion engine I including a cylinder head 2 in which is xed a bushing 3 for guiding the stem 4 of a poppet valve 5. Suitable means for reciprocating the valve 5 include a rocker 6, push rod l, a cam (not shown) and a compression spring VIl, the opposite ends of which are retained by the cylinder head 2 and washer 9 fixed by conventional split locks III to the valve stem 4. It will be understood that upward movement of the push rod in response to force transmitted thereto by the cam causes the rocker to rotate counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 1 and drive the valve stem downwardly in its guide, the spring yieldingly accommodating this movement of the parts and effecting the return to their initial positions shown as the cam completes its cycle of operation.

To eifect rotation of the valve during the upward or Valve closing stroke of its reciprocatory movement I have added a member I5 having a generally iiat annular portion I6 which encircles the valve stem 4 and has one or more radially inward extending lugs Il formed integrally therewith and a downwardly depending peripheral skirt portion I8 which converges or tapers inwardly toward the valve stem to provide an internal clutch surface I9. The outer peripheral surface cf the valve stem 4 is provided with helical slots 22 into which the lugs I1 project. The slots 22 extend from the extreme upper end 2t of the valve stem a suicient distance lengthwise of the valve stem below the annular portion I6 to accommodate their engagement by the lugs Il during the full stroke of the valve in operation. The upper end of the guide 3 is externally tapered to provide anexternal clutch surface 26 adapted to `coact with the clutch surface IS! of the member I5 in releaseably locking the member against rotation about the longitudinal axis of the stem. The upper end face 2l of the guide serves as an abutment for the dat portion I6 in limiting the downward movement of the member I5, and the engagement of the 3 clutch surfaces i9 and 26 serves to limit upward travel of the member l5. Between these limited positions the member l5 has freedom to shift longitudinally with the valve stem li to effect engagement and disengagement of the clutch surfaces, the guide end face 2l accommodating relatively unrestrained rotation of the member l5 under the rotating forces transmitted to the member by the camming action of the slots 22 on the lugs ll during downward movement of the valve stem.

The skirt portion I8 is longitudinally slit as at 28 (Figure l) on diametrically opposite sides to enable this skirt portion to be expanded sufliciently for its installation and removal from the guide 3.

In operation, the frictional resistance to sliding movement of the lugs i? in the helical slots 22 causes the member l5 to shift longitudinally on the guide 3 with each change in direction of longitudinal movement of the valve. Hence, when the valve starts moving downwardly from its position as shown toward valve open position, the member l5 is initially carried downwardly therewith until the flat portion i5 abuts the guide'end face 2l, disengaging the clutch faces i9 and 28. The continued downward movement of the valve thereupon causes the member i5 to rotate .freely on the end face 2l of the valve guide by reason of the camming action of the slots -22 on the ylugs i7. Then, upon the valve reaching its lowermost position and starting its upward movement to return to close-d position, the member l5 is again initially carried with the valve byA reason of the frictional resistance to sliding movement Yof the lugs inthe slots until thelclutch surfaces i9 and 226 ire-engage each other to limit further upward movement of the member l5 and rotatably lock the member to they valve guide. The valve as it continues its upward movement is then forced to rotate by reason of the camming action of the slots 22 on the lugs il, suiicient slippage occurring between the lower end of the spring 8 and the cylinder head or between the upper end of the spring and the retainer washer 9, or both, for this purpose. The frictional forces resisting the sliding movement of the lugs in the slots provide aY sufcient reactive force acting upwardly on the. member I5 to maintain the clutch surfaces I9 and 26 engaged during this continued upward movement of the valve toward closed position.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a modification of the invention in which the annular member Bil functions similarly to the previously described member l5 but differs principally therefrom in that its helical interengagement with the valve stem 3l is provided by radially outward extending protuberances 32 on the valve stem which slidably engage helical slots 33 formed in the side wall of a cylindrical portion 3d of the member 3Q. As shown, the 4protuoerances 32 may be conveniently .formed as opposite ends of a cross pin 35 suitably fixed in a transverse hole 36 in the valve stem 3i.

This modification also embodies a different arrangement from that of Figures 1 3 for effecting the clutching engagement of the annular member to the valve guide 3l. The upper end of this .valve guide is provided with a counterbore 38 having a lower cylindrical portion 39 journaling the cylindrical portion 31S of the member 30 and an outwardly tapered upper portion 40 serving as a clutch surface engageable by the correspondingly tapered clutch surface (il formed by the upper portion l2 of the member Abutment means for loosely retaining the member t@ within the counterbore is provided in the form of an outwardly eXpansible snap ring i5 seated in an annulus le formed in the tapered clutch surface llil. This ring i5 is located a sufncient distance above the upper end l? of the member 3B to permit the member to shift upwardly during upward movements of the valve to permit disengagement of the clutch surfaces dil and lli. Since no expansion or contraction of the member 3@ is necessary to permit its withdrawal from the counterbcre 33 after removing the snap ring 35, the upper portion 42 of this member may be made circumferentially continuous for increased strength. If desired, the guide 3l' may be provided with a pair of diametrically opposite openings through the side walls of its cylindrical counterbore portion S9 to facilitate insertion and removal of the valve stem cross pin 35.

In the operation of this latter form of my invention, the valve is rotated during opening rather than during valve closing by reason of the clutch surfacesrii] and ll effecting their engagement during the downward or valve opening movements of the stem il. Otherwise the operation is essentially the same as that previously described for the device of Figures 1-3, frictional resistance to sliding movement of the protuberances 32 in the slots 33 providing reactive force which is sufficient during valve opening to hold the clutch surfaces engaged, and suiiicient during valve closing to maintain the end il of the member til in abutting relation with the snap ring 55.

In Figures 6 8 is illustrated another modification of the invention in which the annular member 553 has a skirt portion 5i converging or tapering inwardly toward the valve stem from its lower end to its upper end to provide an internal clutch surface 52 for engagement with a correspondingly tapered clutch surface 5.3 formed on the upper end of the valve guide Extending radially inward from the upper end of the member 5) are a plurality (three being shown) of circumferentially spaced-apart lugs 55 which slidably engage helical slots 5t provided in the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem 5l, generally on the order of the lugs Il and helical slots 22 described for the device of Figures 1-3. The lower end of the skirt portion 5l terminates with an internal flange 58 which projects into an annular recess 59 encircling the guide 54 immediately below the clutch 53. The upper wall @il of this recess is preferably undercut slightly and serves as an abutment engageable by the flange 58 to limitV the upward movement of member 5U relative to the guide. It will be observed from inspection of Figure 6, which shows the member 5t in its relaxed state, that its clutch surface 52 is normally inclined at a slightly greater angle to the valve stern aXis than is clutch surface 53 on the guide. The member 5@ is made of spring steel or equivalent resilient material and is longitudinally slit at 6! so that its lower end may expand relatively to its upper end. Figure 7 shows the member 5@ in such expanded condition with the clutch surfaces 52 and 53 fully engaging each other, thisrelation of the parts having been brought about by the member 50 moving downwardly relative to the guide as the result of the valve stem moving downwardly toward open position. The frictional resistance to `sliding movement of the lugs 55 `in the slots 56 causes the member 50 to shift longitudinally on the guide 54`with each change in direction of longitudinal movementlof the valve stem 51 .`l Theclutch surfaces52and153, of course, operate when inengagement witheach other to both limit downward movement of the member 5t and rotatively lock the member to the guide during downward movement of the stem toward valve open position. When the valve is moving upwardly toward closed position theclutchsurfaces 52 and 53 are disengaged and the inner marginal edge of the flange `531bottoms in the recess 59 .and thereby journals the .member about the guide.

One important advantage of this form of my invention over those previously` described is `that the resilience of. member 50 is made use of in assisting the disengagement ofthe clutch surfaces 52and 53, thereby enabling their degreeof taper `to be reduced with resultant `increased clutching pressures without encountering clutch sticking In Figures 9 and 10 I show a still further modiiication of my invention in which the annular member 'lll is made generally flat and is arranged to operate between the upper end face 'H of the guide 'l2 and the internal flange 13 of a fixed retainer 'Ul whose depending cylindrical body portion 75 has a press ton the external .periphery of the guide. The member 'It journals at its outer marginal edge on the inner wall of the cylindrical portion 'I5 and circumferentially spaced around its .inneredge are lugs 'i6 which slidably engage helical slots 'Il on the cylindrical periphery of the valve stem 18. Since expansion of the member lil for assembly and disassembly-purposes is not provided for, the slots 'il extend to the upper end of the valve stem as in the case of the device of Figures l-B, The spacing of the under surface of flange 13 from the guide end facej'li exceeds the thickness of the member IIJ somewhat so that member TI) maybe in abutment with either but not with both at any one time. The resistance to sliding friction of the lugs IB in the slots 7l causes the member to shift between the guide end face 11i and the flange 13 withseach change in longitudinal direction of the valve stem T8. Either the under surface 19 of the member 'l0' or the guide end face 1l, or both, are roughened to restrict their relative rotation when urged against each other by the downward movement of the stem 'I8 toward valve open position. Contrariwise, the upper surface 80 of the member Ill and the` under surfacei -of the ilange 'i3 both have-a smooth nish to accommodate rotation'ofV the member 'i0 relative to the stationary flange i3 when the member is urged thereagainst during the upward movement of the valve toward closed position. As an alternative construction the member 'l0 may be laminated, using diiferent materials having high and low coefficients of friction, respectively, for the surfaces 'I9 `and 30.

In operation, the annular member i!) is held from rotating during valve opening movements by the clutching engagement of the member 1li with the guide end face T i, and the stem is forced to rotate in one direction as the result cf the camming action of vlugs "iii in the slots Il.' ,During valve closing movements the member 'iD is out of engagement with the guide end face 'il andI the camming action of the slots 'il on` the lugsl'ii causes a rotation of the member 'it 1n the opposite direction, which rotation is accommodated by the low coefficient of friction 'of the surfaces 8E! and 8 l.

Where it is desired that the valve rotate during closing instead of opening, the surfaces B0 and 8! could of course be made rough, and the guide end face Il and the under surface 'i9 of member lil be given a smooth nnish for anti-friction purposes.

I claim:

1`. In an internal combustion engine having a poppet `valve having a stem slidably and rotatably supported in a stationary guide and operativelyconnected to means for reciprocating the valve, the combination therewith of means for rotating the valve during reciprocation including an annular member adapted to journal on the guide and having a helical connection with the valve stem, means on the guide and member accommodating a predetermined longitudinal movement of the member relative to the guide in response to thrust transmitted to the member by the valve, said last named means including coacting clutch surfaces on the guide and member for holding the member against rotation when the member is thrust `in one longitudinal direction by the valve.

2. The combination with a pcppet-type valve heaving a stem slidably supported in a stationary guide for longitudinal reciprocation and axial rotationV and means for reciprocating the valve, of means for effecting rotation ofthe Valve during reciprocation including an annular member surrounding and helically interengaged with the stem for causing relative rotation therebetween in response to relative longitudinal movement therebetween, axially engageable coacting clutch surfaces on the member and guide effective during longitudinal movement of the stem in one direction to both limit longitudinal m-ovement and prevent rotation of the member relative to the guide, and cooperating abutments on the member and guide llimiting longitudinal movement of the member with the stem in the opposite direction to an amount sufficient to effect disengagement of said clutch surfaces and accommodating rotation of the member relative to the guide.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a poppet valve having a stern, means operatively connected to the stern for reciprocating the Valve, a stationary guide having a bore journaling. the stem and acomrnodating its reciprocable movement, said guide having a counterbcre adjacent one end ofthe bore including a tapered portion and cylindrical portion, an annular member having a cylindrical portion journaledby the cylindrical portion of the counteroore and a tapered portion adapted to clutchably engage the tapered portion of the counterbore, an abutment removably secured to the counterbcre outwardly of the member for loosely retaining the member therein, said cylindrical portion of the member having a helical interengagement with the valve stem effective to transmit thrust from the stem to the member and to cause their relative rotation during reciprocationcf the valve.

fi, In anfinternal combustion engine having a poppet valve having a stem slidably and rotatably supported in a stationary guide and operatively connected to means for reciprocating the valve, the combination' therewith of means for rotating the valve during reciprocation including a member having a cylindrical portion encircling the stem and journaled on the guide,

said portion having a helical slot in the surface thereof facing the stem and a projection on the stem engaging said slot, abutments on the guide limiting longitudinal movement of the member with the valve, one of said abutments accommodating rotation of the mem er relative to the guide when urged thereagainst by the valve and the other of said abutments being effective to prevent said relative rotation.

5. rihe combination with a poppet valve and reciprocating means therefor, oi means for rotating the valve during reciproca-tion including a stem xed to the valve having an internal helical slot, annular ircling the stem having a radially inward extending portion slidably engaging the slot, a stationary member arranged to thrustably support and accommodate rotation of the member during longitudinal movement of the stein in one direction with the valve, ccacting clutch surfaces on said annular and stationary members arranged to limitv longitudinal movement and prevent rotation of the annular member when said stem is in the opposite direction with the valve.

, 6. 1n an internal combustion engine having a pcppet valve fixed to a stem, means for reciproeating the valve, and a guide slidably supporting and journaling the stem, the combination of means for rotating the Valve during reciprocation including a helical cam track on the periphery of the stem, a member slidably engaging the cam track for rotation about the stem during longi tudinal movement of the stein in one direction, an abutment on the guide arranged to thrustably support and accommodate rotation of the member during said movement of the stem, and coacting clutch surfaces on the guide and member arranged to thrustably support and prevent rotation of the member during longitudinal movement of the stem in the opposite direction.

7. The combination with a poppet valve and reciprocating means therefor, of means for rotating the valve during reciprocation including a stem fixed to the valve havinfy a helical slot, an annular member of resilient material encircling the stem and having a radially inward extending portion slidably engaging the slot, a stationary member having a tapered annular clutch face coaxial with the stem and a shoulder below the clutch face, said annular member having a longitudinally slit depending skirt portion embracing said clutch face and terminating in internal iiange at its lower end below said shoulder, said skirt portion normally having a lesser taper than said clutch face for accommodating the rotation of the annular member relative to the stationary member except when the valve stem is moved in one longitudinal direction.

8. The combination with poppet valve having a stem and reciprocating means therefor, of means for rotating the valve during reciprocation including a guide for the stem terminating in an end face, a retainer nxed to the guide having a bore terminating in a shoulder spaced from said end face, and an annular member loosely interposed between said end face and shoulder and in sliding threaded interengagement with the valve stem, said annular member being journaled in. said bore, opposite sides of said annular member having different ooeiicients of friction with respect to said end face and shoulder.

9. The combination with a pcppet valve having -a stem and reciprocating means therefor, of

means for rotating the valve during reciprocation including a guide for the stem having a 8 tapered abutment surface concentric with the stem, an annular member helically connected to the stem and having a resiliently expansible tapered skirt portion surrounding said abutment surface, said skirt portion normally being in abutment with the larger end only of said surface but being yieldable in response to valve stem thrust transmitted through said connection to the member in one direction to ei'ect a mating engagement with said surface, and a shoulder on the guide retaining the membel` and accommodating its rotation when subjected to valve stem thrust in the opposite direction.

10. In an internal combustion engine having a poppet valve having a stem slidably and rotatably supported in a stationary guide and operatively connected to means for reciprocating the valve, the combination therewith of means for rotating the valve during reciprocation including an annular member adapted to journal on the guide and having a helical connection with the valve stem, means on the guide and member accommodating a predetermined longitudinal movement of the member relative to the guide in response to thrust transmitted to the member by the valve, said last named means including coacting clutch surfaces on the guide and member for holding the member against rotation when the member is thrust in one longitudinal direction by the valve and coacting abutments on the guide and member rotatably supporting the member during longitudinal movement of the valve in the opposite direction, said abutments being out of engagement with each other when said clutch faces are engaged.

11. The combination with a poppet-type valve having a stem slidably supported in a stationary guide for longitudinal recprocation and axial rotation and means for reciprocating the valve, of means for effecting rotation of the valve during reciprocation including an annular member surrounding and helically interengaged with the stem for causing relative rotation therebetween in response to relative longitudinal movement therebetween, said member and guide having a lost motion connection with each other accommodating and limiting a predetermined relative longitudinal movement therebetween, said connection including axially engageable coacting clutch surfaces on the member and guide effective during longitudinal movement of the stem in one direction to both limit longitudinal movement and prevent rotation of the member relative to the guide and cooperating abutments on the member and guide limiting longitudinal movement of the member with the stem in the opposite direction to an amount sufficient to effect disengagement of said clutch surfaces and accommodating rotation of the member relative to the guide.

ROBERT T. DOUGHTY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,347,488 Arnold July 27, 1920 1,414,499 Buck May 2, 1922 1,520,273 Anthony Dec. 23, 1924 1,550,530 Flynn et al Aug. 18, 1925 1,610,409 Anthony Dec. 14, 1926 2,447,443 Voorhies Aug. 17, 1948 

